Accuracy: 6 m (19 ft)

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

18-Jan-2009 -- This is the tenth confluence that we visited during our trip to Peru, Bolivia and Chile (see map). The story starts from 12°S 77°W.

Coming from a visit of 25°S 70°W the previous day, we started from the coastal town Taltal in the morning at 9 o’clock. We took the Pan-American Highway southbound for 20 km. Then, we turned eastbound on a gravel surface road for 70 km until we reached the mine Altamira. From the mine the southbound road C-115-B took us within 1.53 km to the confluence. Here we parked and started our hike.

After an initial a steep slope, we hiked the remaining part over plain, plant-less and featureless terrain.

The confluence point was marked with a small cairn and an old can in addition to a plastic bottle with a message. The most severe impact of the confluence however was caused by the tire tracks, that most likely origin from the first visit almost 7 years from now! This can be inferred from the location of their car back in 2002. Because there is no rain, nor animals or plants that could move the stones, little changes by humans will not decay within our lives.

We continued our drive not on the main road towards Diego de Almagro, which would have been smarter. Instead, we took smaller sandy tracks that I would advise against. At the end, we reached El Salado directly (saving 6 km), but it took us two hours longer. We spend the night in the coastal town Chañaral.

CP Visit Details:

Distance to an asphalt road: 30 km

Distance to a road: 1.2 km

Distance to a track: 1.2 km

Distance to houses: 30 km (if I have not missed any)

Time at the CP: 12:06 p.m.

Hiking time (distance): 30 minutes (1.53 km)

Measured height: 1101 m

Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m

Position accuracy at the CP: 6 m

Topography: Flat. Hills can be seen at the horizon.

Vegetation: none

Weather: sunny, 26° C (felt temperature)

Description of the CP: In the middle of Atacama desert with a gravel-sand surface. Remotely situated - far from any town.